How I overcame Bill 115

Oshawa This Week

To the editor:

This school year, as a way of showing my enthusiasm to give back to my wonderful community, I started a new volunteer council called the LEGS Club (Live, Enjoy, Grow and Support). Even though my club just started, the first few meetings proved that youth in the community are willing to volunteer and support our city.

We were able to accomplish some goals, such as fundraising for the Rouge Valley hospital and volunteering at retirement homes. Unfortunately, when extracurricular activities were cancelled, this forced many students to adapt to a new school environment which is more focused towards academics and less towards the building of future leaders. Without such activities, students weren't able to build vital skills like communication and teamwork.

Nonetheless, I was able to turn this tragedy into an opportunity where I could still continue to pursue my goals. By taking initiative, two of my friends and I started Durham Youth Volunteers, an organization that not only provides students volunteer opportunities, but also gives them the valuable skills that they will surely need in the future. By working outside of school perimeters, I was able to overcome the obstacles of Bill 115 and prove that "where there's a will there's a way."